This invention relates to a fastener assembly for joining two interior panels. In particular, this invention relates to a fastener assembly which supports a panel to facilitate margin adjustment.
Using conventional fasteners of the prior art, motor vehicle floor consoles are difficult to mount on instrument panels for several reasons. The instrument panel is not movable and the unattached console has to be moved to the instrument panel and held in position by the installer until one or more fasteners are put in place and tightened to hold the two structures together. A console is typically large and heavy and the space in which the installer has to work is very tight and limited, so holding a console in position while simultaneously trying to put a fastener in place and tightening the same is difficult and time consuming. The problem is compounded by the fact that prior art fasteners generally have to be inserted through a plurality of aligned apertures, some of which are on the instrument panel and some of which are on the console. Hence, the installer has to align the apertures on the console and the instrument panel, insert the fastener through both, and hold the console in the aligned position while the fastener is tightened. Aligning the apertures for the use of prior art fasteners is difficult not only because of the size and weight of the console, but also because the apertures are usually found on the underside of or on the inside of the instrument panel or both and on a portion of the console that is positioned under or inside of the instrument panel when the apertures are aligned. The fastener must also be tightened the proper amount to establish the correct vertical relationship between the two structures which is difficult using prior art fasteners.
The disadvantages of the prior art may be overcome by providing a connector which is easy to align and engage the console and then to draw the console towards the instrument panel.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a fastener assembly which attaches and aligns two panels. The fastener assembly has a connector member, a support platform and a tab. The connector member has a head, a threaded portion and an annular groove. The support platform is mounted on a first panel. The support platform threadingly engages the threaded portion of the connector member. The tab is mounted on a second panel. The tab has an opening for receiving the annular groove of the connector member in a supporting relation. Rotation of the connector member moves the second panel towards and away from the first panel in a direction of draw to space the second panel relative to the first panel and present a predetermined gap therebetween.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for installing a supported panel to a supporting panel. The method includes the steps of:
pre-assembling a connector member to the supporting panel, the connector member having an annular groove,
providing the supported panel with a tab, the tab having an opening for receiving the annular groove of the connector member,
interengaging the connector member with the tab in a supporting relation, and
rotating the connector member to move the supported panel towards and away from the supporting panel in a direction of draw present a predetermined gap between the supporting panel and the supported panel.